1950s: Pop Culture Explodes in a Decade of Conformity - Research Article from Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell Bottoms

The 1950s are most often remembered as a quiet decade, a decade of conformity, stability, and normalcy. After the tumult of the 1930s and 1940s—with their sustained economic depression (1929–41) and world war (1939–45)—the 1950s did seem quiet. America was at peace once the conflict in Korea (1950–53) ended. The economy was booming, bringing millions of Americans into the middle class; politics were stable and the president, World War II hero Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), was beloved by many. For most Americans, the 1950s saw a return to normalcy after the crazy war years. Americans had children in record numbers, continuing a "baby boom" that had begun in the 1940s. They also moved to suburbs in record numbers, and the home construction industry boomed to meet their demand. Popular TV shows of the period like Leave It to Beaver (1957–63), Father Knows Best (1954–63), and The Adventures of...